


Fitting In

by PinkGluestick



Series: Nines basically puts a bunch of great things into motion [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Adult Language, Connor being a sweet babe, Gavin being a good good friend who loves his bff Tina, I forgot to mention big brother Connor, M/M, Mentions of Sex, Nines accidentally outing Connor to Hank, Nines being a genuine good person DEEP DEEP DOWN, Nines is trying to be a good social creature but it doesn’t come naturally, Nines making Fowler lose sleep at night, Swearing, but he wants to keep that secret, cause that’s worth celebrating, dammit Nines, dumb tags, implied sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2020-01-06 00:08:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18376895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinkGluestick/pseuds/PinkGluestick
Summary: Nines is the precinct’s sick new addition who imposes horrible chaos by complete accident and totally unknowingly.Gavin being an (angry) angel in this and a good friendWarm up to get Gavin and Nines into their happy little love bubble. So!!PRE-RELATIONSHIP!!junk of two dumb kittens.Can change rating if someone gets uncomfortable or doesn’t think Teen and Up covers it





	Fitting In

Nines was the new addition to the station. While he wasn’t an unwelcome one, he created an unpredictable amount of problems. 

At the beginning, it was nothing more than his inability to work well with Gavin, which made every call they were sent out to something nightmare like and usually demanded a blaring lecture from Fowler by the end of it. Honestly, he had been MUCH easier on Nines than he probably deserved since he hadn’t been programmed to know every detail of police work like Connor had. He was on track to be programmed similarly had the revolution not interrupted Cyberlife’s plans. He was only brought in on the force by his ‘brother’s request, and taken seriously because of his phenomenal observation skills, his ability to make perfect rational decisions with 30% less the calculation time Connor used, and brought a certain uniqueness to the job Connor simply couldn’t. He was inhumanly efficient in many ways his predecessor couldn’t compete, but his ability to do each task effortlessly was Fowler’s favorite feature. He hadn’t had to explain anything to him before, except that his and Gavin’s behavior was atrocious.

After Nines and Gavin had landed their final warning before a suspension would be enforced, the effort to refrain from any physical violence became a bit more manageable. As long as Fowler didn’t hear about it, he’d let the occasional bloody nose Gavin sported upon returning to the precinct slide. 

Once the tension of new partners died down SOME, Gavin had more time to distract himself with Tina again, which meant more time for Nines to distract himself with Connor.

That created another world of chaotic propaganda, damn near bordering missile warfare among his colleagues.

It shouldn’t have, considering Connor was learning very quickly that he liked his ‘brother’ more and more each day. He thought his company was refreshing and was quickly becoming something familial. Nines came to Connor surprisingly often to ask for advice and find the answers to his sometimes crude questions. These questions were generally harmless and Connor was all too eager to educate him. They ranged from ‘why do humans do this’ and ‘why can’t I shoot a perpetrator for running....morally’ and ‘why do you choose to work so unproductively by catering to Lieutenant Anderson over your mission’.

And Connor, despite his efforts to have some humility, couldn’t help feeling like Nines’ personal guidance counselor; a beacon, a leader. Even if Nines did possess far superior leadership skills than his own.

The point was Connor found himself feeling more and more like a ‘big brother’ type to Nines. He weighed his importance a little too highly, he knew this, but Nines kept coming back and kept asking questions. Connor felt more important than he’d ever felt since his deviancy, and everything settled into something rather brotherly between the two of them.

Back to Nines asking mostly harmless questions, however......it was worth mentioning that the few times this was NOT the case, the questions reached a whole new level of mortifying.

For instance, about a month ago- Nines started off pleasantly with an innocent question for Connor while they stood in the break room. It concerned Gavin and Tina having a possible romantic attraction. Connor, having easily perceived the lack of one himself had immediately distinguished the two are in fact not romantic on any level. He’d realized once he allowed himself to think about it after just a few days joining the force. Nines hadn’t calculated this himself, having the greatest and possibly only difficulty in all things human relations wise, so Connor gladly explained such.

“No, they’re just friends.” He said gently, leaning on the table in the break room. 

As if she’d a sixth sense for people talking about her, Tina trotted in and joined them shortly after.

Nines seemed to contemplate this longer than he’d liked to and looked at Connor skeptically. He sounded sure of himself, but all evidence pointed otherwise.

“...they aren’t?”

“Aren’t what?” 

Nines turned his attention towards the shorter officer, unbothered by the fact she invited herself to the conversation as it WAS about her, after all.

“You and Gavin aren’t love interests?”

Tina’s eyes went wide and her face contorted into a mash of horror and amusement.  
“PFFF! Oh my GOD, NO! Sick!” She shook her head and grimaced at the awful taste that left in her mouth.

Connor looked towards Nines, hoping he was happy with the results of her answer. He always took pride in the new things Nines was learning, adding more and more to his social protocols (even if he had yet to properly engage them after 6 months Connor had spent building it up for him).

“Why? You’re sexual organs are both compatible. Are you homosexual?”

“NINES.” Connor could barely squeak out between gasping for air and blanching.

Tina’s eyes went wide and she smirked, possibly the kind of smirk you made before you absolutely unleashed fury upon an idiot for saying the most backward, illogical thing you’d ever heard. Sometimes you just needed to beat the ignorance out of someone.

Connor’s eyes darted down to check if she was readying a fist to put through Nines’ jaw.

“UM, NO. I’m not going there because it’s none of your business, detective.” The muscles in her jaw twitched as her teeth ground together. 

TINA CHEN—RELATIONSHIP—-HOSTILE

“He didn’t mean it like that, Tina. He’s sorry, i assure you. If he fully understood what was polite to say a little better, he’d apologize right now-“

Nines listened intently to the hitch in Connor’s breath and read the defensive language he used on his behalf carefully. He deciphered their meaning in a split .02 seconds and was quick to rectify his mistake before Connor would be left to.

“I’m sorry, Officer Chen. I didn’t know I had crossed the line.”  
He gave Connor a genuine apologetic look for thrusting him in the middle of his own obliviousness and then drowning in it.  
“Forgive me for saying anything that I-“

“Hey! Where the fuck have you been!” Gavin’s assholish entry effectively ended the scene and Nines’ apology died in his throat. The sight of his oh so beloved ball and chain swaggering into the break room left him with that lovely feeling of dread he associated with Gavin’s face.  
“ ‘We have a case’ does not translate to ‘gossip with the talking router’. “

Gavin had affectionately leveled Connor’s worth to that of computer lingo since he’d managed to save Gavin from losing all his case work in a blackout one time. That was the thanks Connor’d expected, though. They were meant as insults, of course, yet Nines had insisted he would much prefer such terms like ‘router’ and ‘freeze frame’ than the usual “metal bitch” he received instead.

By some miracle aspect within his abilities, Gavin hadn’t gotten his detective title for nothing, and immediately noticed the way Tina was glaring knives at his partner. Her jaw was set in such a way and Gavin knew she was desperately fighting punching something.

“What’s up with you?” He side eyed her and quickly noticed the tense air lingering around their table.

She shifted her weight and turned her eyes down to her hands, trying to implement breathing techniques.  
“It’s nothing.” Sounding more defeated than angry at this point.

Gavin wasn’t happy about that answer, but he knew he’d personally appreciate people butting out if he had said it. He was going to drag Nines out and leave when the taller stepped up to the table.

“No it isn’t.” Nines said firmly.  
“Gavin will WAIT while I finish my apology.”

Connor and Tina looked up expectantly as Gavin simply grew more impatient trying to work out what he’d walked in on.

“You deserve to hear this.” Nines nodded at Tina and she tilted her head for him to continue.  
“I’m still learning what’s normal to say and what isn’t. I should have known by now that was wildly out of proportion to what is acceptable. Connor has been diligently trying to educate me on these matters for months now, and I’m sorry to both of you for failing to respect his attempts. I was being more impulsive than reasonable when I asked that.”

The anger flushed from her face and Tina was left looking pleasantly surprised. Connor looked similarly as his eyebrows shot up and he straightened away from their table like he hadn’t been expecting that. As the Nines’ first official apology, he really hadn’t been. He glanced over and was incredibly relieved to see Tina’s reaction.

TINA CHEN— RELATIONSHIP — - WARM 

That was a spectacular save on Nines’ part. He nodded towards his ‘friends’ and was about to make his departure with a very pissed off Gavin when-

“Hold on, what the fuck is happening here?”

900 looked down at him in such a way with only his eyes. The sight from Gavin’s perspective was likely something very withering and cold as the android didn’t think Gavin deserved his attention. He’d decided he’d answer to save face after his other mistake.

“I insulted Officer Chen with my crudeness and I needed to address it.” He scanned over her again and found she was still a bit flabbergasted, though not unfavorable.

Gavin scoffed.  
“Didn’t know a suave fucker like you could be so oblivious.”

Honestly he didn’t mean that, because he personally thought Nines was the biggest neon asshole on the whole polluted planet, but that was his opinion.

“Well, I assumed you two were romantically attracted and then asked for her sexual orientation.”

“JESUS CHRIST, NINES, WHAT?! Why would you think something like that?!?” A lack of facial flushing on Gavin’s part further supported the absence of a romance.

Tina, finally recovered enough to be more concerned about putting Nines under Gavin’s scrutiny after he’d apologized so honestly. She tried to help end the conversation.

“It’s...it’s fine actually, Gavin. Um, Nines, I forgive y-“

“I was convinced you were attracted to her after your comments about her evening wear. Once i observed you both together, I assumed the feelings were likely mutual.”

“What now?” Connor joined the party again, leaning over the table and looking between the three.

Tina seemed equally enthralled, effectively snapping out of whatever was left of her stupor.

“Yeah, what‘s he talking about?” She looked at Gavin who had turned slightly pale and waved a hand in the air dismissively.

Nines didn’t get his partner’s message or perhaps did not care. Mostly that.

“The event we attended to honor Officer Morrow for apprehending the Ice dealer. You wore a red dress to it. It was a darker shade than one typically sees as many females are unfortunately less bold in their judgement. —Notice I said MANY, not ALL.” Nines’ eyed Connor accusingly. Obviously an argument they had strangely had before. Then continued.

“Gavin couldn’t keep his eyes off you most of the evening, but with this new information, I can now assess this was likely because of your demeanor. You appeared much happier than we often see you, Officer Chen, and that must have garnered Gavin’s attention.”

There was total silence for a GOD awful 30.8 seconds where Tina just gawked at Gavin, and Connor looked utterly floored. Gavin managed to swallow his heart in his throat to give a shaky reply.

“It...The color suits you....”

Tina ducked her head like she was trying to comprehend, but the look of confusion only grew. All eyes on Gavin.

“You finally talked to that girl....” He tried again.

“Gav...” Tina’s tone was not something unfamiliar to Nines, but it was clearly full of an emotion he had yet to experience personally. 

Gavin didn’t back down.  
“The girl I literally told you to get the balls to talk to for months was practically throwing herself at you!”  
He grew more defensive by the second. Three pairs of eyes on him, and despite the disregard that Nines’ clearly held, Tina’s and Connor’s were way, WAY too insinuating. Way to affectionate. Gavin FUCKING HATED IT.

“Gav.” She whispered again and stepped forward as he took a step back. He tried to bow up, because he was not about to get hugged for this, NO.

“You just broke up with that cheating slut, and I was just happy for you!!!” 

She ignored his ‘dangerous’ bristling as any real threat, but respectfully stopped coming closer. Her face flushed with affection for her best friend in the whole fucking world, while Gavin looked ready to dart if she so much as put an arm out.

“He also mentioned ‘shades of green suit you perfectly, but it was ‘no fucking wonder’ Loria liked you in red.’”

The glare Gavin shot Nines was ALL fire and fury. He didn’t stick around after that to protect his name or get Nines back to working. He just left a very starry eyed Tina, shocked Connor, and his very amused Android partner at their table where they shared looks of disbelief.

Tina made a point to be a jerk the next time they were together, as it was the only acceptable attempt she could offer to make Gavin feel somewhat as happy as he had made her. He EAGERLY accepted her insults and arm punches, and he could violently pretend to forget that she knew what she knew. But Tina never would. This was stained in her memory and Gavin would just have to live in fantasy land where Tina didn’t know her best friend was the greatest (sweetest) thing on the planet. 

 

Still, the outburst made things between Gavin and Nines tense again, and it was only a matter of time before Gavin was finally suspended for punching a civilian by accident when Nines successfully dodged a well aimed right hook.

Nines wasn’t entirely out of the woods here either, but Fowler had nothing on him when the incident was 100% Gavin’s fault for throwing fists first (and being a general idiot).

There was a week where Nines and Connor were thrust into working together while Gavin was gone and the chaos Nines ensured followed behind closely.

Connor offered to move to Gavin’s desk for the time being so Hank wouldn’t be bothered by the two of them overcrowding his workspace.

Hank was actually thankful for that since he and Nines weren’t exactly familiar with each other. He’d visited their house a few times, posed some questions only patient brother Connor could answer, and made sure each one of those instances had been as uncomfortable as possible.

Nines had downright criticized, though not intending to do harm, Hank’s proficient use of alcohol, judging by his visible stash. He’d even pointed out the great care it had likely taken to clean a house like Hank’s when Connor had finally roomed in. Also unintentional.

That was an earlier time in Nines joining the department and when he was still learning MUCH about intrusive comments. Even less adept to those kinds of thoughts than he had been during the ‘Tina/ Gavin’ incident.

Hank remained pleasant (through a miracle) and Nines remained insistent to become better. Now they could hold a conversation and even throw derogatory comments at the idiotic cases they’d worked together like pretty good pals. 

But sharing a desk with Connor AND Nines was way too much.

He sadly had to admit hat he DID miss having Connor there by the time the third day rolled around. He was only two desks behind him, but the amount of times Hank looked up, only to accidentally stare at Officer Collins across the room in the spot where Connor’d been sitting, was becoming disheartening. 

Sometimes he could hear them. There was a bit of noise in the precinct that made overhearing conversations straining on a normal day. Every now and then there were quiet days.

And then there were the ones where a trip to the coffee machine and a walk back to his desk meant overhearing some startling new information Hank’s soul was unable to process, and his brain was fiercely denying was actually said.

He walked back to his desk with coffee in hand when he noticed that Nines and Connor were standing with their backs turned to him. 

Hank thought they were looking over a file together or maybe doing their sync up thing when a little effort to zone in on Connor’s frantic whispering told a different story.

“I don’t understand.” Nines said cooly, not bothering to return Connor’s attempt to keep his voice down.  
“You live together.”

“Im aware, Nines, but it isn’t like that.” Connor actually HISSED. This had Hank’s undivided attention.

“Hmm.”

“Nines, DON’T start.”

“I’m only thinking about the contradictions this would imply, particularly to our conversation from a few months ago. Is this no longer valid?”

“NINES.” Connor threw a look around the bullpen, then over his shoulder at Hank who expertly appeared to be lost in his work and far too busy to hear them.

Connor wasn’t taking any chances, though, and his voice dropped an octave lower. At this point, it was too hard to hear him when he muttered something viscously into his brother’s ear.

Nines’ excellent obliviousness HOWEVER...

“I asked very clearly, “How would you like him to fuck you?” And you replied “Open.”  
Quite dreamily I might add. Explain that, please.”

Hank seized up. More accurately, he became completely incapable of breathing. He stared at his terminal and counted every heartbeat that rang in his ears like it would be his last.

He could hear the waiver in Connor’s voice as he hoarsely tried to respond. 

“I did not say t-that. I....”

“I have a recording.” Nines Never faulteted. Hank could feel Connor’s frustration mounting from here and he had to say he had officially never heard so much raw affliction in Connor’s voice as he responded.

“It’s not like that Nines, end of story.”

He then stormed off, Connor actually STORMED off, from their desks and out the building to get some much needed fresh air.

“I only want the best for you.” Nines said to no one in particular and Hank could only sit there and assume the worst for him and Connor after that.

Gavin came back from suspension finally, but Hank didn’t count it as a blessing. His mind wandered constantly, eyes flicking over to where Connor sat, back n his rightful spot as Hank’s desk mate. They’d lock eyes and he’d avert his frantically whenever Connor tried to return his gaze with a little smile.

He acted as if nothing was wrong, as if there was no new information of galactic proportion that had just been spilled between them. Obviously because he didn’t know something had, and Hank was left wide awake for many nights on end, wondering how fucking long ago Connor and Nines had had ‘that conversation’. What else wasn’t Connor telling him??

Well judging from what Nines had the audacity to utter, fucking EVERYTHING. 

How the fuck was Connor keeping it together so well? He was walking around every day at work, every time Hank was nearby, and in their own HOME with thoughts like....THAT.

Thoughts like.....

NO. Hank couldn’t even repeat them, not even inside the safety of his own head. He freaked out every time he replayed Nines’ words, unable to even play Connor’s. 

Except maybe once....

Once when his mind may have slipped while Connor was making dinner a mere few feet away from him. Looking over at his back while he worked the stove and visualizing Connor saying “Open” in a dreamy voice like Nines had described.

Connor was ready to live his life ‘til he was dead without those thoughts ever coming to light. And that was a whole other injustice entirely.

Like...a fucking... AWFUL one.

As in, Hank was .5 seconds away from thrusting Connor forward onto the sink and jamming his ass back against his dick. Solely because Connor should never have to keep something like THAT from Hank, holy fuck.

Which that would be entirely too sudden and somewhat unacceptable considering Connor DESERVED to be romanced into getting his ass torn “~Open~” the right way.

JESUS. What the fuck were they even doing when they HAD that conversation??? Were they drunk? Could androids even get drunk? Nines HAD to have brought that shit up first.

Regardless, Hank couldn’t allow Connor to have to live so deprived when Hank KNEW now and he could totally DO something about it. 

“Hey, Con....want to go out tomorrow instead of cooking? Uh...you can finally try some wine....or something.”

Nines’ horrendous treatment of Connor’s private conversations was unwarranted and Hank could do without anymore future surprises. But he also could do with MORE of Connor’s eyes lighting up in excitement at the prospect of a date. Or the way he gingerly locked his fingers over Hank’s while he rubbed the smaller man’s dick to completion not a freaking day after their first dinner. 

So...he guessed a ‘thank you’ to Nines was in order for that....

 

Gavin was just happy to be back and that old man and twink boy had gone unusually quiet the past few weeks. The lip biting and fluttering of lashes was a weird addition, though. Still nothing worth mentioning. 

Nines was a bit more bearable, too. Seeming happy about the duo’s sudden silence himself. He became suddenly less rigid to be around. He even gave Gavin a real smile one time, prompted by the sight of Connor and Hank bumbling out apologies madly after they bumped into each other in the hall once. 

Gavin really had NO idea what any of that was about. But he was excited to work the next case the following night without a single jibe, insult to his intelligence, or smack to the face for once. It was actually a comfortable change of pace, though he’d rather die than ever admit that.

 

The was ready to be done with the whole thing after they’d concluded there was no homocide committed at around 12 in the morning. He was surprised he could actually write the night off as being pretty decent, since Nines didn’t do anything to piss him off. 

But then Perkins showed up.

It was a surprise and a foul one as Perkins was in fact NOT working that case in any way, shape, or form and it confused the socks off of Officer Collins when he arrived behind the restriction tape.

Nines, having never met this man, was generally unfazed by colleague’s reactions. He had no ill feelings to harbor for this new identity yet, so he was keen to simply observe.

Perkins had a nasally voice, and it made every response he made to Collins while the larger man filled him in very snarky sounding. He wouldn’t still judge yet. He even let the snippets of disgust he proudly displayed for Gavin slide. Gavin was pretty horrendous to be around AND Collins was a bit of a wall flower. Nines tended to lose his patience for the man in conversation himself.

Neither were any real transgression and Nines decided to give to the shorter man a pleasant nod when his eyes settled his way. No words for Nines though, just a look of indifference before turning towards the dead body occupying the couch.

“Neighbors made the call.” Collins kept following behind him and filling him in. He didn’t owe him anything as this wasn’t his department, but the fact that Perkins had a higher pay grade made him think better of ignoring him. Perkins didn’t seem to bother with him, anyway though.

Rude, but not quite the same asshole qualities as Gavin. Nines watched. 

Perkins surveyed the state of the corpse and the weapon. 

Nines didn’t know what kind of false callout the FBI agent had received. They focused on mass murders and threats against American society as a whole. The murder weapon was a very odd choice as it was a sniper rifle of all things (though Nines had already seen far stranger in half a year) but the use of weapon did not indicate a violent crime. How did he even find out about this?

“Well I guess we’re done. Let’s go.” Gavin turned away from the scene, nudging Nines’ shoulder too hard and began leaving the room. They’d already disclosed it as a suicide, and there was no need for them anymore. Nines didn’t see a reason to stay.

“Run off then.” That voice, clogged and snide, spoke from behind.  
“Let someone else do your work for you.”

Gavin, almost out the door, froze and wheeled back around. His mouth was drawn in a thin line, eyes focused on his each step, and Nines knew he was about to let the man absolutely have it.

“Listen here, prick-ens.”  
Nines thought the play on his name could have gone without.  
“We already did our job, and you just got here. So don’t pretend to know what the fuck is going on.”

“I already do, detective.”

“Well if that were true, you’d have heard Collins when he told you it was a suicide and that we,” Gavin pointed a thumb between himself and Nines.  
“already worked it out.”

Perkins straightened up turned to look Officer Collins over. His face perfectly conveyed how insignificant he thought he was.  
“I don’t recall.”  
As if Collins was only there to pester him.

Ben was a relatively quiet guy, and he wasn’t looking for any reason to help fuel the fire Gavin was lighting-much less confront Perkins’ offhanded attitude towards him. He would rather shake his head, roll his eyes, and mutter ‘douchebag’ in closed quarters instead. Some people didn’t need any extra conflict in their life.

The way Collins ducked his head and remained quiet only pissed Gavin off more. He made it clear right then in the way he turned back and bristled that he had no where better to be than standing there fighting Perkins. The delightful new asshole Nines had only just met. 

Perhaps he should intervene??? It would save everyone from a unnecessarily long night being a third party.

Nines turned to Perkins and made sure to keep a tone of indifference when he spoke. It would help move things along by refusing to feed his temper.

“Collins is far more capable of doing his job than you are. as I’ve been informed you are not to be here at this time and are lacking the observatory skills required for this job. I don’t acknowledge you’re authority here and Officer Collins and Detective Reed don’t either. Also, it’s a suicide. Landon Pauler was a loner without any outside ties with a history of self harm and diagnosed mania. Let Collins show you how to use the exit, good night.”

Nines nodded at Collins and side glanced Gavin in a unspoken ‘follow’ as he walked out of the room towards the front door. Gavin did follow, proudly, and jotted that night down as the single most coolest night of Nines’ life since he didn’t have any better ones going for him.

The praise that followed the next day (and several days after) was entirely too rambunctious for a professional workplace, but the way Gavin told it everyday in the break room always turned out that way. Anyone present would listen earnestly.

Particularly Hank, Tina, Connor, and Chris. 

 

By the 7 month mark on a mini performance review, Nines had effectively embarrassed and suspended Gavin, ruined Connor and Hank’s relationship in the best way possible, made Officer Collins a future target for Perkins’ open spite, and helped make Fowler’s job more miserable than he imagined.

 

Basically, Nines was the precinct’s newest, welcome, and abhorrently problematic, addition to the force.


End file.
